Argan Oil and its Long History

Ever since the Argan oil became really popular the Berber tribe has also been widely talked about. Most write ups about the liquid gold of Morocco talks about how it was the Berber tribe that first recognised and used the wonders of the oil. The Berber tribe used this oil for medicinal, culinary and cosmetic purposes.

Argan Oil and the Berbers

Traditionally, women would gather goats’ dungs which contain the indegistible Argan nut seeds. The Argan nuts and leaves are part of the native goats’ diet in Morocco. Once they are done with gathering and washing the nut seeds, the Berber women would then roast these seeds and grind them into a thick paste. Then this thick paste would be squeezed in between palms for the oil. Another traditional method of extracting the oil is manually craking open the Argan nuts by hand with just the use of a piece of rock. This time the women would gather the Argan fruits and then proceed with the craking of the nut shells for its seeds then the seeds would be roasted, ground then squeezed for the oil to come out. The whole process takes excruciating hours to complete. About 22 hours.

Before the craze for Argan oil, many would have probably not heard much about the Berbers. The Berbers have been inhabiting the North Africa before the Arabs did. It is believed that the Berber cultire and traditions had been around for more than 4,000 years. As a collective group, the Berbers call themselves Imazighen or Amaziah. This means free and noble men.

Argan Oil: A New Hope for Morocco

We all know that life in the desert and mountain can be really harsh and difficult. The Berber women take part in agricultural and domestic labour. These days, the demand for the Argan oil has brought new hope for the families of Moroccan women as they now have a source of income which can help send their children to school. In the old days, the women of Morocco were not allowed to work outside their home. Today many cooperatives in Morocco that produce the very precious oil have women as their employees exclusively.

The oil became a big hit in the west because of its beneficial properties to the skin, hair and nails. The beauty industry has hailed the liquid gold of Morocco as a miracle oil and many have been giving their testimonials about the potent power of this oil.

Skin Benefits of Argan Oil

The oil is packed with nutrients that help keep the skin healthy, vibrant and youthful. It has a high concentration of Vitamin E which stops the aging of skin cells. Vitamin E is also effective in preventing scars as well as stretch marks. Its essential unsaturated fatty acids is yet another antiaging ingredient as it prevents premature aging and as well effective in minimising and preventing fine lines. It also contains Prostaglandins which aids in the development and growth of skin cells and Ferulic acid which protects the skin from aging and the damaging effects of UV rays. The Carotenoids component of the oil also prevents skin aging and protects the skin from harsh effects of free radicals.